Horrible disappointment

Booked a full week here, I knew it wasn't the greatest place, but the reviews made it sound simple and clean-- I was expecting a no-frills motor-in with not many amenities, and a good location. It is NOT seaside, as the name implies-- it's across the street and a couple blocks from any water. No beach. The front desk older ladies were so slow and took care of whatever paperwork was in front of them without acknowledging that I was standing there. When we finally got our room I was horrified. I'm a seasoned traveller and not a snob-- but 5 minutes in my room and I had to get out. The mattress was so old and had stains on the sides which indicate bedbugs. The bedding was old and crumbly. The bathroom was like a 1960s motorhome--cheap construction that didn't hold up over time and was never kept clean. I was sure I'd get some kind of disease staying there. The pool was nearby below us and the kids screaming in it made it necessary to close the windows and the AC smelled musty and gross. I checked out 20 minutes later. A customer service rep called the hotel for me to cancel my week reservation. I lost 1 night rate, but I am supposed to be getting refunded for the other 6 nights. It was worth it just to get out if there. And the rep also helped me find a new hotel. Jose at customer service was extrememly helpful getting me out of a disgusting room and into a WAY better one. Twice the cost, but worth it.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):

Amenities:

3

Cleanliness:

2

Hotel staff:

4

Comfort:

3

Location:

5

Value:

4

Trip purpose:

Business

Time-saving tip:
Not Applicable

USE THE CURBSIDE CHECK IN PORTERS AT THE KONA AIRPORT!!! HANDLE ALL YOUR CHECKED BAG NEEDS (AG INSPECTIONS, WEIGHING) AND THEY HAND YOU ALL YOUR BOARDING PASSES AT THE CURB, NO WAITING!!! THEY WORK OFF TIPS, $4 - $5 A BAG... WORTH IT... TRUST ME.

Love Uncle Billy's

Uncle Billy's is not the big fancy luxury hotel, but when in Kona, you shouldn't be spending all your time in your hotel anyway. I'm a Big Island commuter & travel between Hilo & Kona on a weekly basis. I don't need the fancy. They are centrally located on beautiful Ali'i Drive & so close to everything I need. Their staff are soooo friendly & I always feel welcome & comfortable. This is not a a four season resort, BUT it is sincere & homely.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):

Amenities:

4

Cleanliness:

4

Hotel staff:

5

Comfort:

4

Location:

5

Value:

5

Trip purpose:

Business

Shopping tip:
Short drive from hotel

Best Bookstore in Hawaii is just a few blocks away in old industrial. Kona Bay Books. Holy cow! It's huge! Book lovers dream place. I often go there after work.

Just okay

Service checking in was a little slow.
The hotel needs to be renovated-it's time. Our room had just been painted and still had a wet paint sign hanging (and a picture on the bed) but that did not help the shoddy appearance of the place.
We stayed at the Kona Seaside Hotel prior to this and I would definitely recommend that instead!

Bang for the buck at Uncle Billy's

Uncle Billy's was perfect for my wife and me. Central location made it perfect for us to get to restaurants, stores and the public beach and public pier. Pick ups for tours were nearby, although not right at Uncle Billy's doorstep. We were upgraded to an upper floor room with balcony at no extra charge which we realize my never happen again, but it was appreciated and my wife loved the view. A great farmers' market was less than a hundred yards from our door. One drawback was the lack of a micorwave for heating food. We did have a refrigerator, a coffee maker and a hair dryer. We are going back for a couple more days at the end of our Hawaiian vacation.

Family reunion

We had 3 rooms and all 3 room were different, 2 better than the third which had a disablity shower which was not requested. Continental breakfast was good and the location was convenient. I was concerned about the parking - appeared to have people living in or drinking in some of the cars.

Great Location!

The staff is friendly and warm. Beautiful Flowers and foilage everywhere. If your looking for a 5 star motel, there are plenty down the street. This was a great location and we would stay there again and again. Thank you Uncle Billy's for a great time.

Kona uncle billies

I have a condo in Kona but it wasn't available. I had read some negative reviews about uncle billie's, but I have to say I loved it.
It is very dated and in desperate need of some TLC, but is exactly what you pay for. My condo is $245/night if rented thru Cheap Tickets, and the $85/night for Uncle Billies was excellent.
The bathroom did smell and the tiles in need of scrubbing, but the pool was clean, staff friendly.

Two days at Uncle Billy's Kona Bay Hotel

Uncle Billy's proved to be what I expected, a low-cost place to stay, but not a place you'd want to stay for more than a few days. Our room wasn't bad, although it was old. It was of average size and had nice, new furnishings. The beds were comfortable. The bath was adequate. The TV was an old fuzzy tube with few channels, but then we didn't come to Kona to watch TV. The room did have a balcony that you could sit on, which would have been nice except that it was always noisy outside.
The hotel's location was better than expected, right in the center of everything down town. Parking cost an extra $5 per day but was worth it. You can park for free in the public lot right behind Billy's lot, but at times the public lot get filled, so we paid the five. In the morning, there is a complimentary continental breakfast -coffee, juice, pastries, toast, muffins and mango. We enjoyed it.
Our main complaint had to do with the noise. On our first night, there was a party in the room next to us that the security guard didn't stop, even though quiet time is supposed to start at 10 PM. Fortunately, the air conditioning unit puts out a roar of white noise, which was almost enough to drown out the party. The next night there was no party, but people just seem to walk about Uncle Billy's shouting at one another, apparently oblivious to the fact that they aren't the only ones around. It's not the kind of behavior that would be tolerated in a good hotel.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):

Amenities:

2

Cleanliness:

4

Hotel staff:

2

Comfort:

2

Location:

4

Value:

2

Trip purpose:

Business

Dining tip:
Short walk from hotel

Huggo's on the Rocks - tables are actually set in the sand. And some nights they have Hawaiian music, live.